Gourmandises: Mylène Farmer and the Truth of the Song

[zingy]

There is speculation that Gourmandises written by Mylène Farmer is very controversial. It is said the song is based on the Little Red Riding Hood story, whose true meaning is more well known in France where the tale originated. There are claims the end of the Gourmandises video holds clues.

Below are some quotes about the strange mind of Mylène Farmer and a quote from a University of Virginia professor about the French story Little Red Riding Hood (Le Petit Chaperon Rouge). The description of Le Petit Chaperon Rouge by the professor sounds a lot like the song.

Is there any truth in the web speculation, or is it just silly nonsense that people read into a simple song?

Mylene Farmer is a popular 80's - 90's pop singer who popularized a Gothic/romantic genre, mixing aesthetics from the Marquis de Sade, sex abuse, vampires etc without using too explicitly satanic/occult stuff or whatever (looks like, you know, it's art). Mylene also became an icon for all the libertine clubs (partner swapping), bondage, fetish or transsexual "scene". One of her most recent singles, "Sextonic" is also the name of a sex toy she sells online.

Mylene's videos have predominantly been made by Laurent Boutonnat


In Mylene’s videos or shows, he frequently uses occult

http://www.pseudoccultmedia.net/2010...nch-touch.html

In France in the 1600’s, when Perrault wrote his version, titled "Le Petit Chaperon Rouge," a chaperon was worn by women of aristocracy and middle class. Thus for a village girl like Little Red Riding Hood to wear a "red chaperon" made her a nonconformist. Clothing codes were strictly enforced during Perrault’s time. Thus the wearing of the red cap is one way that Perrault sets up Little Red Riding Hood as not doing what one should. It also contributes to why she is punished in the end.

The Glutton
According to the Aarne-Thompson, The Types of the Folktale, Little Red Riding Hood has been classified as type #333. This type is described by "the wolf devours human beings until all of them are rescued alive from his belly."

The Seduction and Rape
According to Jack Zipes, the eating of Little Red Riding Hood is a sexual act, symbolizing the uncontrollable appetite or chaos of nature.

Little Red Riding Hood lays the grounds for her own seduction and rape. She wears a red cap and she stops to listen to a stranger, the wolf. Her "dallying" of picking flowers, or her undisciplined ways, lead her to where the wolf is waiting. Because of her acts she is responsible for her own rape.

Little Red Riding Hood wants to break from the moral restraints of her society to enjoy her own sensuality (inner nature) and nature's pleasures (outer nature). [31] Where order and discipline reign young girls will be safe from both their inner sexual drives and outer natural forces. Where inner and outer nature are out of control chaos and destruction reign. For this indulgence in sensuality, more specifically - sexual pleasure, and her disobedience, she must be punished.

http://people.virginia.edu/~sah/lrrh/notes.html

[Paybays]

It's very well known that Gourmandises is a sexual story about a girl going on a trip to meet a stranger. I should and still be known as the biggest Gourmandises-fan ever lived or is still living. So this looks quite appealing to read and so I did.

It could be very well influenced by little red riding hood, seeing as both stories are revolving around a stranger ( sheep in wolfclothes ) to lure the prey and take her virginity.

This is a nice find, where did you get this from so suddenly?

[Scruffydog777]

We had a member in here years ago who was from Montreal. A member who seemed to be very intelligent and well learned in both the English and French languages. If memory serves me correctly, he was of the opinion that every song written for Alizée had some sexual connotation and of course we are talking about the two highly successful albums MF and LB wrote for Alizée.

Now except for the song Tempete which was a song about Napoleon, It would be no shock to me if that was true, because it was said of MF that she designed a sex toy, then wrote a song about it. Now I'm no expert on Mylene, but from what I've seen of her and heard about her, I think her and Laurant are incredibly talented; they went to college together and studied the arts together and are incredibly gifted, but there is no doubt they used sex to sell.

Now I think there is no doubt that these songs may have had a very nice side to them and then a very sexual side. That's an ability in song writing Mylene had. I think in some cases Alizée knew there was a risqué side to them and had no problem singing them, until she grew up and realized that there was a very controversial side to what she was doing, (something she never would have had a part in) until Jeremy came along and gave her the rest of the story.

So we can look at these songs in the very controversial way MF intended, or we can look at these songs in the way that Alizée saw them and that's what I think we should do as a forum. We should be able to realize they were something "beyond" what Alizée knew and we should look upon them in the beautiful way and sometimes sexy way, that Alizée interpreted them.

[zingy]

Originally Posted by Paybays

This is a nice find, where did you get this from so suddenly?

I just did a web search on the translation.

[Shepherd]

Originally Posted by zingy

I just did a web search on the translation.

Great find, Zingy

I have always wondered if Alizee split with MF because MF's life style and values were more than Alizee could handle. When they split, I'm sure they both signed a nondisclosure contract, so we will never know the details of their breakup.

[Scruffydog777]

From what I've heard and I have no idea if this is right, Jeremy not only told Alizée of the deeper sexuality of her songs, but also mentioned that Alizée should have been making much more money than she had been making. I don't profess in any way to know what the true story is, but I have to believe the way Alizée ended her career in early 2004, that there has to be, some credibility, to this story

[Paybays]

It's very clear that Mylene and Alizée disbanded because of the sexual double-sided lyrics that she has been singing for the past 5 years, beeing to young to know what she was actually singing about. Also the fact that Alizée was just a product of a producer and a composer, she wanted to step out of the shadows and not be attached to Mylene her success and prove she could do it without them.

And she did very well until she colaborated with people I never heard of and I haven't heard of before. The song Gourmandises is about losing virginity and going on that dangerous trip that you are to young for.

[Scruffydog777]

This is a controversial subject and I'd like to make a "suggestion" that we hold off discussing it until the day after Christmas. Even if you don't believe in this holiday, it's a time of year that many people enjoy, including Alizée, so for these few days, let's have no controversy and no fighting. The day after, the store's open for business.

[Paybays]

Relax scruffy. In my Kingdom where I rule there will be no fighting on Gourmandisesday

[Scruffydog777]

I have a feeling in your Kingdom, everyday is Gourmandisesday.